Judith Collins was back amongst her National caucus colleagues at a party retreat in Queenstown on Monday, claiming the dramas that saw her fall from the leadership late last year are in the past and that she's the "ultimate team player".
The former leader, who received a vote of no confidence from MPs in November after suddenly stripping potential rival Simon Bridges of his portfolios and raising historic misconduct allegations against him in a late night press release, said she wouldn't undermine the new leadership team.
"I never have, you see. I am very supportive of Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis. I have to say, I think I am pretty much the ultimate team player."
The National Party is holding its annual start-of-the-year party retreat in Queenstown this week, with the caucus looking to regroup after summer and hear from a number of high-profile speakers, including former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and former British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.
New leader Luxon wants to rebuild public trust after National had a poor showing at the 2020 election, had MPs become embroiled in scandal through 2021 and suffered a leadership implosion at the end of the year.
Collins fell down the party rankings after Luxon took the reins, landing at number 19 with the Research, Science, Innovation and Technology portfolios. She hasn't returned to Parliament since, taking a break in December before the summer hiatus. Parliament resumes next week.
She told reporters on Monday that science is a quiet passion of hers.
"I am always happy to be a constructive member of the team and the portfolios I have are that really mean a lot to me," the Papakura MP said.
"The way forward for a country is clearly around technology and productivity gains. For me, that's great. Most people don't know I have always been very interested in science. For me, this is great work. Very positive work."
She said Luxon had nothing to worry about with her.
"No, no, nothing at all," she laughed. "In fact, for me, I am just going to be working really hard in my electorate and particularly in my portfolios.
"You will start to get very bored with me constantly banging on about the very, highly talented tech people we have in this country and scientists. I can work with everybody. We are all just moving ahead."
But can she work with Bridges? The Tauranga MP was thought to be considering challenging Collins for the leadership in November and is now Luxon's finance spokesperson in the number three spot. Collins' announcement of Bridges' demotion without caucus consultation was slated by his allies.
"Everything that has passed, has passed," Collins said. "We are all moving to the future.
"Frankly, I just think it is a wonderful privilege to be a member of Parliament and do the job I do."
She wouldn't say if the pair had chatted since the drama, simply saying she was "moving on".
"I am focused on the things that matter. I am always very aware that the leadership in any party, particularly in Opposition, is a very tough job. I am just delighted to be working so well and so positively with people in the caucus. I am just very happy."
After Collins' no-confidence vote, but ahead of the leadership change, Bridges told The AM Show he could see himself working with Collins again.
"It is clear we lost confidence in Judith Collins, a lot of that was to do with the press release. There's no secret, I've had many differences with Judith around what's happening," he said.
"I will say, she took over at a difficult time - this age of COVID is pretty complicated. She has helped rebuild the National Party."
The allegation of serious misconduct against Bridges by Collins related to a complaint by MP Jacqui Dean about five years ago. She complained to then-Deputy Prime Minister Bill English about comments of a sexual nature Bridges made in front of her and other colleagues. He apologised at the time and reiterated that apology in November.
Dean said she raised the issue with Collins following meetings about the Francis review into Parliament's culture.
"What I needed to be satisfied was that not only does Parliament but also the National Party really have the systems and processes in place to manage situations where an MP and their behaviour is involved," Dean told the ODT.
"We have found ourselves very notably in something that was quite different… That was not my intention, and I think several issues were conflated and the rest has played out."
She thanked Collins for her support, but said it was not the "outcome that might have been anticipated".
